Do you let your finches out?

[Solly]

would love to hear your opinions on this. I regularly let my canaries out to free fly in my room, they tend to have a short burst of flight. Poke about a bit then return to their cages. So I don’t have to chase them to catch them.

does anyone do this with their finches? Do they also go back in by themselveS? Would love to hear your experiences and any dos and donts. Thanks

 

[Fife3000]

I let my canaries out all the time. In fact they spend most of their time out of the cage. Im putting 40 privacy perches along the walls for them to rest and sleep on. WIth the exception of breeding time, I will not be using flight cages anymore.

 

[Solly]

I let my canaries out all the time. In fact they spend most of their time out of the cage. Im putting 40 privacy perches along the walls for them to rest and sleep on. WIth the exception of breeding time, I will not be using flight cages anymore.

sounds great! Do you do the same with your finches too?

 

[Zara]

@fashionfobie Lets her two finches out to fly

 

[fashionfobie]

I let my two zebra finches out. They do return to their cage, for me the trick is letting them out early and they return after 40min- 1 hour to eat.

Zippy is especially cute on his flying adventures.. he is very human curious and sits in places to stare at me.. like the back of my chair or on top of a fan blade and he looks down at me.

 

[Lady Jane]

@finchly

 

[Solly]

I let my two zebra finches out. They do return to their cage, for me the trick is letting them out early and they return after 40min- 1 hour to eat.

Zippy is especially cute on his flying adventures.. he is very human curious and sits in places to stare at me.. like the back of my chair or on top of a fan blade and he looks down at me.

ahh this is great news! Thank you.. While I have a nice roomy and long cage for them it seems unfair they never get to “terrorise” the canaries the canaries like to go sit on the top of the finch cage and steal their millet and sunbathe as the cage is at the window.
I am off this week, I will pick a day and try it I think.

 

[fashionfobie]

ahh this is great news! Thank you.. While I have a nice roomy and long cage for them it seems unfair they never get to “terrorise” the canaries the canaries like to go sit on the top of the finch cage and steal their millet and sunbathe as the cage is at the window.
I am off this week, I will pick a day and try it I think.

Try placing a perch at the cage opening that is at the exterior of the cage. Mine seem to have an easier time finding home if there is a place to land directly at the door

 

[Fife3000]

I totally agree about putting a perch by the entrance. Helps those that arent as bright--lol. I call them my special need kids.

 

[fashionfobie]

I totally agree about putting a perch by the entrance. Helps those that arent as bright--lol. I call them my special need kids.

I imagine this is intended to be a joke, but I don't think you should judge a species by their abilities in an artificial environment.

Zebra finches are amazing.

 

[finchly]

I let my canaries out all the time. In fact they spend most of their time out of the cage. Im putting 40 privacy perches along the walls for them to rest and sleep on. WIth the exception of breeding time, I will not be using flight cages anymore.

This is what I’ve been doing with my finches and canaries, and it’s fantastic. They’re active, singing, happy.

 

[Solly]

Thanks for the encouragement. I let you guys know how it goes

 

[Ripshod]

I'm in the same place as @Solly right now and I really appreciate the timing of this thread. I'm ready now to let my finches fly but the weather isn't. I can't let them out in a sealed hot room so when this weather cools they'll be taking their first flight. Even the flock is grounded right now

 

[Solly]

So I opened All the doors and only one finch came out. Mulder my Gouldian. He flew around the room a couple of times. Crash landed a couple of times then took up residence on the top of TweetieS cage. Tweetie sent out eyeball death-rays of get-off-my-cage for a while and Mulder just sat there for an hour unmoving. I tried to offer him a bit of millet - cue another 2 rounds of the room. Back to TweetieS cage - ensuing further death-stares from Tweetie and a couple of protestation squawks of numerous father Jack quotations (ref Father Ted).
he sat frozen for another hour or so until the other birds started to settle down for the night and it was dusk.

so out with the Terrorising-towel-of-engulfing. I gently miss and he lands on the correct cage eyeballing me with his death-stare-of-WTF-was-that. A little gentle coaxing and slow movements of the TT (terrorising towel) and he popped in the top door and down to roost for the night with his buddies.

i have to say, I found that very stressful. I probably would have been less stressy if they had all come out. But Gouldians are a bit more delicate and he was like a statue… not sure if he enjoyed his outing or not..

bit reluctant to do it again…

pic of just bathed Madame and Cheeky sunbathing and Mulder And Madame This morning.

 

[fashionfobie]

Maybe try bird proofing a room just for them. Roll them into that smaller room and start there. Also shutting blinds and covering mirrors may help with crashes. They are tiny and fragile so don't do it if it seems dangerous to your little ones. Possibly it is time to save for a larger and larger aviary instead, who knows!

I can't say it would work for all finches. I only have experience with my two, Zippy is highly human curious and relaxed around me so maybe that helps with free flighting. I am sorry it was so stressful for you

 

[Solly]

Maybe try bird proofing a room just for them. Roll them into that smaller room and start there. Also shutting blinds and covering mirrors may help with crashes. They are tiny and fragile so don't do it if it seems dangerous to your little ones. Possibly it is time to save for a larger and larger aviary instead, who knows!

I can't say it would work for all finches. I only have experience with my two, Zippy is highly human curious and relaxed around me so maybe that helps with free flighting. I am sorry it was so stressful for you

I have moved in only recently so no decorating done or anything yet. I am planning on an outdoor shed with aviary attached where they can spend the summer. But indoors for winter (apart from the Gouldian who will always live indoors) I have lost a bit of confidence lately when they got ill. So I am joining a local bird club and a member who keeps finches is going to take me under their wing When Covid restrictions are lifted. If I feel happier I will get Mulder a buddy.

this is my current cage with 4 finches in. Its approx 2ft wide and 4 to 4 and a half feet long. this is going to be their winter home and the canaries both have their own bachelor pads.
I have vines in there I sometimes place food in so they can forage and a swing, they can also fly the full length of the cage uninterrupted. The blanket is just for a bit of privacy and to keep out draughts from the doorways.

 

[Lady Jane]

You have a large window there. Do you close the blinds? I bet the second out of cage time will be less stressful.

 

[Solly]

You have a large window there. Do you close the blinds? I bet the second out of cage time will be less stressful.

I have no blinds or curtains yet. I rent and am waiting for the new heating system going in before I unpack fully and decorate. I haven’t been given an estimate yet as to when.. the cage is always ever only half sun/shade so they can always get away from the light if they want.
there are net curtains up so the birds won’t fly into the window. George occasionally lands on it and hangs there. He is so precise in flight.
I don’t like catching and handling so the stress is they fly and break their necks or I can’t get them back in without the towel And frighten them to death.

 

[Rædwalda]

this is my current cage with 4 finches in. Its approx 2ft wide and 4 to 4 and a half feet long. this is going to be their winter home and the canaries both have their own bachelor pads.
I have vines in there I sometimes place food in so they can forage and a swing, they can also fly the full length of the cage uninterrupted. The blanket is just for a bit of privacy and to keep out draughts from the doorways.

Helllo, would you mind telling me what cage that is?

 

[Solly]

Helllo, would you mind telling me what cage that is?

hey there sure. two Liberta cages which are joined to make one flight cage.